Fly tying tool question

[flybop]

I collected some driftwood and beaver chewed wood this past season and now I want to make some stuff with it. One thing that I am going to make is bodkins.

My question for you guys is, how long would you consider to be too long for the handle part? Some of my coolest looking wood pieces are six inches or longer.

Thanks for any input!

 

[MKern]

I think a six inch handle would be cool; especially if it has a cool design (if you carve them or paint them).

My question, what do you use for the needle part? Just an ordinary sewing needle?

 

[jgmcclain]

A longer handle would be very nice, something allowing for a full hand grip, maybe even allowing you to rest your hand on the tying bench for support? Sounds like where you are heading, but as long as they are something other the round, lets you get a better grip on the tool with less pressure in my option.

 

[Maurice]

A guy in our TU chapter made some bodkin's from deer antler tines. ABout 4-5" handles. He even did a scrimshaw (scratch carving filled with ink) of a dry fly and a nymph. Very nice.

Maurice

 

[flybop]

Thanks for the input! The first batch I made up were on the longer side. All of them have a "sweet" spot that make holding them comfortable. However, a few of them are on the big side, six inches or so. But the piece of driftwood they are made from looks too nice to cut down to a smaller size.

Mkern, I found a source of heavy duty needles, which I like. I have also found another option. This is called a quilter's T pin. These are heavy duty, very strong and the point is not "needle" sharp. My personal preference is the sharper pointed needle.

Here is a pic of a few.

 

[MKern]

flybop,
how do you stick the needle in the wood and get it to stick, epxoy?

 

[troutbert]

Archeologists 1000 years from now will have a field day figuring out what those things are all about.

 

[sandfly]

naw they'll know that they were used to add tatoo's and metal to our youth of this era........lol

 

[jgmcclain]

Nice work, nothing better then natural materials and a craftsman that can use it well.